The Farmers Daughter
by OldHorseSolidier
Summary: When the Hound and Arya spend the night in the farmers barn, bandits attack killing the farmer. Sally offers to go with them to cook. "Hound, I'm sick of your cooking, always burnt or raw!" "Wolf-Bitch." he shot back. "You cook worse than I do! I can boil fucking water!"
1. Rabbit Stew

A/U from Season 4 episode 3. Sally is about the same age as Arya. Every thing is GRRMs or HBO's - fair use.

Chapter 1. Rabbit Stew.

Sally looked at the strangers in the river bed. Her father told them "There's a storm coming, hay in the barn and Sally here makes rabbit stew just like her mother did. We don't have much but any man who bled for House Tully is welcome to it" She did not like their look but he was her father.

After dinner, when their guests had gone to the barn, her father asked, "Sally, you hardly ever say anything, but I know you see and hear everything."

"They liked the stew, it's maybe a long time since they had a full meal. I don't think they are related and might be the bandits you want him to protect us against. The story about serving House Tully seems made up. When you mentioned the silver the girl looked like you said something wrong. But if they're honest they can do that work you want done. I don't know if they are."

"Sally, this has been our farm since before my great grand father. I know it's been hard on you since your mother died, but if we can hold the farm until peace comes, it will be a dowry to get you a good husband and a good life, if we can get that heavy work done I think we will make it."

Sally couldn't sleep, there was something wrong she couldn't place. She was half asleep when the roof started burning. "Sally get up!" She heard screams and yells and metal clanging. They grabbed the axe and knife and escape rolls and ran to the barn, even without their guests the best plan was to get the horse and run.

Two men were coming at her father. A quick slash of his ax got one - the other had his sword raised at him - all she remembered was a pitchfork and screaming NNNOOOOoooo!

"Father! Father!" Sally cried through her sobbing, "You can't die! I love you!" She was cradling her father in her arms watching him bleed to death.

Gasping for air her father whispered "Sally, I love you. I'm gone, nothing can be done. Go with them to a safe place, give them the silver for payment. - Ser, take my Sally with you she is all I have. . . . Sally, I see your mother - she is calling me. I .lo v . . . " In a few seconds he died.

"It's over Sally" the girl said, "They're all dead. Your father got one and you got another with that pitchfork, the Hound and I got the rest."

"Not fast enough." She sobbed for a long time while the girl sat with her. The man looted the bodies and looked for things to take.

"Wolf-bitch" the man barked, get the silver, we'll take the horse to carry things and go.

"What about her!

"She won't survive the winter and most likely the week, and the dead don't need silver."

The girl screamed "I thought you said you weren't a thief!" If we take her things she should come with us!"

"Shut up and the get the silver."

"You are the worst shit ever!"

The man asked "How many Stark's have to be beheaded before you figure it out?"

The girl stood in shock.

Sally thought "He's right, I'll be dead in a week." and yelled "I can carry my own weight! You two say your tired of eating each others cooking, you liked my rabbit stew. I can ride my fathers horse."

The girl spoke up, "Hound, I'm sick of your cooking, always burnt or raw! Let's bring her, you saw what she did with that pitch fork. She can keep her head in trouble."

"Wolf-Bitch. You cook worse than I do! I can boil fucking water!" he shot back. "Ok, as long as she carries her weight, at least she isn't very heavy."

The girl smiled "Sally call me Nan. He is called The Hound. Don't call me a lady and never call him Ser. You can come with us, share our quarters, which may be a mud hole, and our pot which may be empty, carry your own weight and we will see you some place safe, if one can be found.. If we meet people, we're his daughters."

In short order they buried her father and loaded the horses and were moving. As they rode past the next farm, Sally saw her best friend Rosie lying dead, striped, throat cut, and much blood between her legs, and thought "I could be like that." She shivered and kicked her horse to keep up.


	2. Your Grace

They had been riding for over a fortnight, off the road and going slow. Sally's grief was becoming more of a dull pain than a dagger to her heart, the fear never left. Having something to do helped, she did the cooking and took over managing their camps. "Highborns," she thought "they can't cook, and don't even know what mother, Seven bless her, taught me about running a house, well the house moves every day, but still." Several times they saw others, usually they avoided them, or traded words and news with refugees, once they met bandits, but the Hound killed them before there was any harm. They taught her to fight with a knife and her fathers ax. The other day she spotted some refugees before the Hound saw them, he just grunted; but she treasured the glimmer of respect in his eyes. No one could say she wasn't carrying her weight. So far, they hadn't slept in a mud hole or had an empty pot.

The Hound and Nan worked well together and could talk about work, and even included her. Otherwise, they preferred not to talk, which was fine with her, but when they did it was "Dog!" and "Wolf-Bitch!" and worse.

Sally thought they were traveling together by necessity, but for some reason loved nothing more than to hate each other. They said they were going to Eyre, which had not been touched by the war. This morning had been bad. Nan was practicing with her sword when the Hound came over and made fun of it. Soon they were yelling, then Nan stabbed the Hound with her sword, but in the armor, he grabbed her sword and held it to her throat. Then he handed it back and they came to breakfast like nothing had happened. She shook in fear, "If they really go at it, . . . . This can't go on for too long."

That night after the dinner blessing, she commented, "If you are father and daughter then I am Queen of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Your Grace" the two said as one with smiles.

"Nan, she would be a better queen better than Cersei."

"Hound, most any girl would be a better queen than Cersei, I think Sally would be a good queen." That was the first time she had seen them smiling at the same thing.

"You two name high lords and castles, like we talked about the miller and the mill in our village. Calling his wife Hazel the Hag would have gotten my mouth washed out. Your talk about the Queen and King is high treason."

The hound grumbled, "Doesn't matter what we say about them, Joffery would kill us for fun, the Queen would put our heads on spikes for spite."

"Who are you?"

The two looked at each other, and made some sort of a silent agreement.

"I'm Sandor of House Clegane, called the Hound. Used to be on the Kingsguard. At the Blackwater, I looked at that lake of fire and told Joffery to fuck himself and left."

Sally asked, "My father said a Clegane was the one destroying the country side for the Lanisters?"

A scowl came over the Hounds face could turn the sun into ice. "DON'T ever mistake me for my fucking brother. I was in gods damned Kings Landing when he was raiding, I didn't have a damn thing to do with it. I had nothing to do with killing that bitch Elia. Nothing! I'd kill his worthless hide and send him to the Seven Hells if I get the chance. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes Ser." she whispered.

"I am not a fucking 'Ser'!"

It was Nan's turn, "Sally, your father spoke of Hoster Tully and the Red Wedding. Lord Tully was my Grandfather, his daughter, Lady Stark, was my mother. I am Arya of House Stark, calling me Nan is safer. I ran out of the Tower of the Hand when the Lanisters attacked and started walking home dressed as a boy. Probably most think me dead. The Hound captured me to ransom to my bother, we got to the Twins just as the killing started. That dog hit me over the head with an ax! Now we are trying to get to my aunt in the Eyre and see if she will pay a ransom.

"Wolf-bitch, with the flat side of the ax, you were running into the great hall. Sure you would of killed a bunch of Freys but you would have been at the bottom of the pile. And your mother would still be dead."

Nan/Arya said "Sally, now you are one of the damned."

For a while they told her of people in their world. "A village" she thought, "a high born village everyone knows everyone they marry in the village." She could understand it.

Somehow, Sally was a little more confident of her companions abilities, but there was much more to be scared of than she had thought. "But without them I'm dead."


	3. Blade, Flesh and Blood

Chapter 3: Blade and Flesh and Blood

Sally tested using the Hound or Clegane, he paid more attention with Clegane. She tried Nan and Arya and found it did not make any deference.

She asked Arya " Why did you pick Nan for a name?"

"You never heard of Queen Nymeria of Dorne?" she responded.

"No tell me."

Over the next few days Arya told of Queen Nymeria. As the trip continued, Sally would tell of the folk lore of the Riverlands, and Arya started on Old Nan's stories.

One morning Sally went in to brush to for privacy. Squatting someone jumped her from behind "What do we have here?" it he asked his friends. By reflex she grabbed one of the knives Clegane had her hide and found skin. "You bitch," he yelled but let go, she turned around and drove the knife into his heart. Clegane and Arya came running swords drawn, and found her facing down two others with a work knife, and quickly finished them.

The hound barked "Good work! No telling what else is around let's load the horses and ride!""

She spent that night curled up and shaking while Arya held her.

Arya always mumbled something, prayers?, before sleeping. It sounded like a list of names.

The Hound barked "Are you going to name every fucker in Westeros? I want to go to sleep."

Arya answered, "No, just the ones I am going to kill."

"Hate is a way keep you going, there are worse. If we meet my brother maybe both of us can cross a name off our lists. Are you finished?"

Just one more name to go. . . . iThe Hound/i"

The next day Sally asked Nan. "Are you really going to kill the Hound?"

"I don't know. Most nights I forget his name. He killed my friend Mycah because Joffory told him to. But I charged him with murder when we were with the Brotherhood and he won a trial by combat. And he has been decent since he captured me."

"Arya, two favors, if I do something stupid talk to me, don't put me on your list. And don't kill The Hound until we find someplace safe."

Arya laughed, "Sally you are my friend, I don't know if being my friend is a good thing , but you are."

The rest of that ride and into the evening, Sally wrestled in her mind with killing. She had killed two people herself. Arya keeps a list of those she wants to kill. She had never seen Clegane kill anyone who wasn't a bandit, except the old wounded farmer who was begging for "mercy", but he forced the issue several times when he didn't have to. But there was no doubt - he enjoyed killing. Their Septon had said murder was a serious offense against man and the Seven. Was all killing murder. she knew, sooner or later, the question would come back with blade and flesh and blood. Back and forth, she argued with herself.

Finely she decided. "Sally will not be a killer. She will kill to protect herself, and others if need be. She will not look to kill, she will not keep a list, she will not enjoy it. When this is over I will look at the reflection in a pond and like the girl I see." And she settled off to a quieter sleep than usual.


	4. Womens Things

Chapter Four - Women's Things

They continued at a slow pace. The fear was ever present but easier to handle, she knew her companions ability and was developing confidence in her own. It was becoming clearer though her grief that she had no family and likely no friends left alive back home. Just her traveling companions, but they liked good meals.

Arya saw Sally go over the supplies counting on her fingers. "Didn't they teach you numbers?"

Sally snapped, "I know my numbers! Only highborns need paper." Arya started spending a some time teaching her how to keep track of supplies on an old piece of hide.

There was a wagon a quarter mile ahead of them. Overloaded with supplies and what the family thought was important to keep. When they got close, they would go off the road to bypass them. Maybe one of the girls would go over and talk if it looked safe. Same as always.

They lost sight of it for a few minutes at dip in the road, when they saw it again the family had weapons out and was facing down some bandits.

Sally looked at Clegane, he nodded to keep going. When they got near Clegane boomed, "What the fuck do we have here!"

One of the bandits responded, "Just a little fun, they have food, some girls, and maybe some silver. I see you have your own girls, you're welcome to share the food and coin."

"Fuck that shit! You cunts put your weapons up and go!"

"Who are you to fucking tell us what to do?"

As Clegane pulled his sword, Sally pulled the short sword Clegane took from a bandit and tried to look mean.

"The fucking Hound, Sandor Clegane!"

The lead bandit changed tone. "Excuse me, this is all a mistake, we're going our way." To his men he said, "I saw him win the melee at Kings Landing. - He can kill us all and not break a sweat!"

As they retreated, Sally started to relax and secure her weapons, she thought, "A good thing about riding with Clegane, those who know him don't want to fight."

The families grandfather said, "Thank you Ser, I was a sergeant in our levies in the Five Penny War, I've forgotten more than I remembered, they would have made short work of us."

Clegane thundered "I am not a fucking Ser!" then more calmly "You remembered enough, these are my daughters Nan and Sally. Let's get moving, girls ride the flanks."

Sally was wondering what was with Clegane. They were still riding with the refugee family and he agreed to ride with them for a day or two until they got to their Lord's castle. He'd never even come close to doing that before. She was enjoying it; she liked being with people and hearing their banter.

She found out that evening. She played with the children while dinner was being cooked. She relished a dinner she didn't cook and enjoyed talking with farmers about farm things. Clegane with a low and embarrassed voice asked "Goodwife can you talk to my daughters about women's things? They're getting old enough that they need to know." The wife said "Girls let's go talk and not scare these brave men."

Sally found next morning was a rather enjoyable except for Clegane reminding the girls to watch the flanks not the wagon. He was right of course, but that did not make any easier. The wife's instruction last night had eased fears and question both she and Arya had, they both knew Clegane would be useless, he must have realized it himself. He would never admit to kindness.

One night The Hound yelled "Would you girls stop giggling, half the Riverlands can hear you!"

Sally yelled back, "We're girls!" They didn't make any more noise.

At dinner, a week and miles later, squirrel stew for change, Sally asked, "Who is this Sansa you two keep going on about.

Arya chirped up with pride "My sister, she is a real lady!"

Clegane added, "Yea, Little Bird is that, songs and knights and silk dresses."

Sally listened as Arya reminisced of Winterfell and Clegane told of the terror of Kings Landing. When they went to sleep, she cried quietly in jealousy, "This Sansa may not know they are alive, but she has two people who love her like crazy. Everyone who loved me is dead." A little later she mused, "I am a girl. I can make a new family and fill a house with love. Guess I need a husband first."


	5. Like A Real Lady

The town was nothing Sally had ever seen before. - Full of noise, smoke, the smells of manure piles and privies. People were running every which way on one task or another. People dressed richer than she could imagine, and poorer than the poorest in her village.

Several groups of refugees had told them the last wagon train into the Vale was going to assemble here before the moon mountain clans and winter snow closed the Bloody Gate.

After seeing to their houses in the stable, they went inside "We want some wine." Clegane ordered, "Where do I find about the wagon train going into the Vale?"

"Here's the wine," the innkeeper replied, "Ser Donnell will be in with the last party out in two or three days and leaving a couple days after that. His man Ser William will be here in the morning to talk to people who want to go with it."

"OK, we'll have a room with two beds and a hot bath."

Nan said, "Make it two baths."

"Two silver stags for the room, two for the stable, another two for the baths and dinner and breakfast, drinks are extra."

Clegane growled "That's robbery!"

"With the merchants wagons coming in that doubles tomorrow," the innkeeper replied, "and more when Ser Donnell gets in. Sorry to do that but it's my last chance to get real coin until the spring. It looks like a long winter."

Clegane he gave him the money "For tonight."

"Nan," he asked. "Why two baths?"

"I promised Sally she could share our quarters, she shared the mud holes she gets the hot baths too."

Clegane just grunted.

Servants carried their things up. With two beds, the cramped room was still a palace compared to where they had sleeping for months.

Sally was in shock. At home a hot bath was a basin of water she heated herself. The inn's servants brought up every thing they needed, poured the hot water into the tubs and loaned them some clean clothes while theirs were washed. The soap had some kind of scent.

"Arya is being a highborn always like this?"

"No," she laughed "This is an inn they will do this for anyone with the coin and without it a High Lord will go outside to the well. In a small castle, they live much like their small folk and get fancy when they hold court. Second and third children with no inheritance are often poorer than a farmer, a farmer has his farm. My mother was a high lady and always had to look the part, she took a bath every week whether she needed to or not. She would send the servants to bring me back screaming when she wanted me dressed up like a lady, I hated it. Sometimes she would chase me herself and we would both need a bath, I liked that." They finished and combed each other's hair and got dressed.

"Arya, I think it's time to go down."

"I want my riding pants. I am not a lady"

"They're washing your pants. The serving girls loaned these dresses to us. Girls wear dresses, ladies wear fancy dresses. No one will call you a lady."

As they stared down the stairs, the noise quieted down except for a few whistles as the room stared at them. Arya whispered, "Smile at every one, ignore them, and walk slow." Sally thought, "They're looking at me like I am the Maiden come to earth not just a farmer's daughter. This is fun!"

"Anyone touches my daughters" the Hound yelled, "I will have their fucking head!"

As they came to the Hounds table the room came alive again. "Nan" he laughed, "You came down those stairs like your sister, like a real lady. I thought you did not like acting like a lady."

"I don't, I know how, its stupid!"

A tall women came over, dressed as a knight with a gangly boy in tow. "Ser, I am Brienne of Tarth, this is my squire Podrick Payne. Seems your daughters and myself are the only girls who don't work here. May we join you?"

The girls said "yes" as the hound was saying "I am not a Ser."

After they were chatting a while, Sally asked, "M'Lady, what's with your squire, hasn't he ever seen girls before?"

"He has, but his brain went to mush when he saw you on the stairs, he'll be more useless than normal for a month"

When some music started, Sally pulled Podrick out to dance, which had every one laughing. She didn't care "I'm dancing with a real boy who thinks I'm pretty, not my father or a cousin put up to it!"

All night long more travelers and locals drifted in. Mostly families a few Brothers of the faith but some men who looked as rough as Clegane.

Clegane, Brienne and Arya talked about news and innocuous topics for a few hours. The pass to the Iron Gates will soon be closed for the winter, Joffrey is dead, Tomen is King. Sansa Stark had been forced to marry the Imp, but they disappeared, accused of killing the Joffrery. Every port between Gulltown and Kings landing was closed by winter. When Sally and Pod sat down to rest it sounded like the Hound and Briene were trying to take each other's measure without giving any thing up. Arya did not seem happy with the conversation.

On the floor again, Sally heard yelling and tuned to their table - ten or twelve men were charging it with blades drawn.

Clegane and Lady Brienne shoved the table at them, they and Arya came out fighting. Sally and Pod drew weapons and came at the bandits from the back. Sally killed at least one and stabbed several more as did Podrick.

When it stopped, there were there ten dead bandits and one with Brienne's sword at his throat. "Why?" she demanded. "There are a hundred silver stags on the Hound's head." Brienne gave her sword a push and there were eleven dead bandits

Pod yelled, "The Hound is down!"


End file.
